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Writing and weeding

I have started a new writing technique which is working well: instead of trying to sit at my laptop for hours and hours because ‘writing only’ days are rare, I am doing alternate timed hours of writing/something else. Yesterday the ‘something else’ was gardening because my recently acquired home is surrounded by mature, beautiful shrubs that are starting to look like they want to swallow the house.

The writing bit went okay. I managed eight hours of alternating activity, i.e. four solid hours of writing, during which time I even switched my phone to silent, and didn’t look at facebook. Well, I might have peeked occasionally, but I suffer from facebook addiction disorder so I didn’t want to make myself ill or anything. I managed 3,000 words of Book 3, plus I deleted about 2,000 words of drivel I’d written previously (I know a balance of 1,000 words is depressing but it is progress, at least, of sorts… ).

In contrast, the gardening was hideous. I pulled up piles and piles of weeds, maybe some plants too, I have no idea. And it still looks the same – overgrown and unkempt. My efforts have had no impact so now I’m dreaming of paving stones, gravel or even concrete. I’d be happy to pour concrete over the lot and sit in the middle of it at a nice picnic table. Anything to stop me looking out of the window and being crippled with despair at the jungle that is developing.

Although the tasks of the garden and Book 3 loom ahead, what cheered me yesterday was getting another top review for Glasdrum, bringing its total to a tantalising 49 (isn’t that just screaming to be rounded up?!?), with Daughter, Disappeared now on 74. I’m very grateful to everyone who has left a review – it is such a help to an Indie Author trying to compete with the big publishers. A book’s Amazon ranking is affected by the number of reviews it has, and Amazon publicises books more the higher the number of reviews it has. Reviews = sales in a very direct way. On my massive To Do list is to start contacting ‘official’ book reviewers, but my heart sags at the administrative effort involved.

So I’ll end with another heart-felt plea that if anyone has read either of my books and is willing to leave a brief Amazon review – good or bad, long or short, anonymous or not, it would be hugely appreciated!